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Posts Tagged ‘silver’

handmade 925 sterling silver

Silver jewelry is the undisputed leader in the jewelry industry because it is a perpetual favorite of consumers. Many consider 925 sterling silver to be the queen of silver jewelry and accessories because it is durable and versatile, and it captures the eye with its brilliant sheen and shine. Any silver jewelry that carries the tiny stamp that reads “925″ is guaranteed to be of the quality of sterling which by law must contain 92.5% pure silver. To make the metal composite called sterling, 75 parts of an alloy metal is added to 925 parts of pure silver, thus the label “925″.

Pure silver is too soft to use in jewelry products, jewelry art, or for any functional items. For this reason, an alloy metal must be added to the pure silver. The most common type of alloy that is added is copper. With the addition of this small amount of copper, the silver is strengthened so that it can maintain it’s shape and can resist marring and scratches that would quickly make an item of pure silver look worn and lusterless.

Many sterling silver jewelry aficionados love to travel to the small Mexican town of Taxco, where they are able to purchase a vast array of unique and high-quality 925 sterling silver jewelry items. Taxco is actually considered the “silver capital of the world” by many people and some make annual treks to this small town to get their “fix” of jewelry products and jewelry art.

And, many people truly consider the silver jewelry that is made by the local craftspeople to be works of art. In addition, they enjoy meandering through the enchanting little pueblo that features winding cobble-stoned streets. Taxco is nestled deep in the mountains of the Sierra Madre and sits at an altitude of more than 6,000 feet above sea level. Most of the houses in Taxco are built in the colonial style and have stucco walls that are white and are accented with red-tiled roofs.

But aside from the beautiful setting and charming architecture of Taxco, the biggest attraction for this sleepy mountain town is the quality silver products for which they are famous. Gorgeous handmade sterling silver jewelry is sold by street vendors throughout the town, as well as in the open-air markets and in the numerous specialty stores. You can choose from a huge variety of different jewelry items that are not only unique and affordable, but also of high quality.

Some of the types of silver jewelry that is easy to find in Taxco are sterling silver chains, sterling silver rings and earrings, sterling silver pendants and charms, and silver and turquoise jewelry. And, this is just to name a few of the many jewelry products that are available directly from the silver craftspeople. In addition, there are many other types of products that can be found in ample supply, such as sterling silver flatware, frames, keychains, serving pieces, candle holders and much more.

Because of its reputation, many artisans from all over the globe have relocated to Taxco, where they now make their homes and practice their crafts. Not only are there many silversmiths producing fine items of 925 sterling silver, but there are also many other types of arts and crafts made of other materials that can also be found in abundance in this charming village. And, the best part is that because the cost of living is low, the jewelry products and other crafts are quite affordable, especially to those from the United States.

With gold breaking the $1,000 barrier, silver riding at a ten-year high and precious metals up across the board, the question has to be asked – is it now time to sell platinum?

Between 1992 and 1999, platinum languished around the 0 per ounce mark but with the advent of the new millennium, platinum commenced its inexorable rise, initially due to demand in the electronics sector we all wanted to get in on the internet bubble which in turn fuelled PC and laptop demand, and as that bubble burst in 2001, so did the price of platinum. Then the warning bells sounded over economic performance and from the 0 level in January 2001, platinum peaked at almost ,200 in early 2008 and drastically fell back to 0 by the end of the year – Obama was elected and a 0 billion stimulus plan from the US alone was promised as an injection into the economy, primarily the banking sector.

This directly led to the huge drop in platinum prices seen in the opening days of 2009 – such a capital injection from the US taxpayer was almost unprecedented and more than this, taxpayers around the world in developed countries were finding similarly large amounts of taxpayer cash was being pumped into the global financial system to keep the global economy afloat. He initial reaction of metal speculators, particularly those looking at platinum and precious metals as a safe haven in the very harsh economy, suddenly saw some light at the end of the tunnel – demand for platinum dropped and dropped like the proverbial rock.

Since this platinum crash, the spot price has steadily recovered to where it is now (September 2009) trading at around the $1,250 mark – a far cry from the dizzying heights of $2,200 but nevertheless a remarkable recovery from the low of $800.

The burning issue is whether the price is going to recover further – and that really depends on your view as to whether the economy is going to turn the corner and recovery commences or not. It will depend on stock and bond market peformance – if they recover, the professional investor will drop his precious metal holdings and liquidate to invest in order to take advantage of the market recovery. A close eye needs to be kept on earnings and profit performances and especially whether they are coming at the level of, or better than analyst expectations.

A good guide is the hedge fund market – where many have laid the blame for the current economic malaise. For the year to date, the KDY-index has returned in excess of 17% from the basket of hedge funds it tracks – that’s good news for those looking for super-bonuses and for those looking for recovery.

It is very bad news for those looking for future platinum value increases and signals that the time to sell has definitely arrived – for further proof, look at how the value of platinum has hit a plateau and is rebounding off the ,200 price ceiling – speculators and traders simply don’t know which way they should be going and are waiting and watching to see what will happen next – the current round of earnings results in Wall Street are primarily positive.

Platinum is not going higher – sell.

Palladium, like many other precious metals, has been enjoying excellent growth in value since the financial crisis as savvy professional investors moved out of stocks and bonds, which were taking a swan dive, and into assets such as gold, silver, platinum and of course, palladium. These metals are used as a hedge against inflation and a weak dollar, especailly in difficult economic times.

At the onset of the recession the value of palladium leapt with double-digit growth, but the summer months of 2009 demonstrated a wavering in the price of many metals - including palladium.

Platinum is bouncing underneath the $1,200 per ounce mark, gold is volatile, silver is hanging and palladium is stuck around $290 per ounce.

More disconcerting for metal speculators is that trading volumes are thin – the market is still and doesn’t seem to know which way to move.

Mixed economic signals create uncertainty, though some pundits feel the economy was saved by Obama's 0 billion stimulus plan. After the hype came the realization the crisis was a lot worse than thought, and maybe, $700 billion was not going to be anywhere near enough –especially when overseas governments were pumping similarly large sums of taxpayer cash into the banking system and still it seemed the financial system still looked to be on the verge of collapse.

The housing sector saw an improvement in August 2009 and September was on target as reported by banks and retailers. Positive signs demonstrating some recovery or at least stabilization, but at the same time the dollar has continued to weaken against foreign currencies signifying a relatively poor performance against overseas markets and especially by those holding America’s debt (China especially).

The fundamental question is whether stock and bond market performance is going to convince investors to return – if they do, those holding precious metals are going to liquidate to get back into those markets in anticipation of enjoying the returns recovery will bring. The metal price will drop like a rock (just look at platinum prices falling from $2,200 to the $1,200 mark in the last quarter of 2008) and those holding palladium, gold, silver or platinum are going to feel very bad indeed that they didn’t take the opportunity to sell when the price was this high.

For those with small holdings of palladium, especially the private individual who may have the metal tied up in family jewelry, now is the time to sell. The risk of a price crash in precious metals, including palladium, outweighs the prospect of a future return. The return of financial stock market performance heralds recovery and that means the end of the precious metals bull market which is why the metals market has stalled now.

With so many outlets for convenient selling of old gold, silver, platinum and palladium it makes a great deal of rational economic sense as well as simple commonsense to take the profit that has been created by the recession and turn useless jewelry gathering dust into cold hard cash to pay off debts or to get ready to invest in the stock markets.

Gold may be the number one precious metal from centuries past but the fact is that the vast majority of gold you available on he market is not pure gold – pure gold is highly priced and on its own, it’s not very strong. Wedding bands are made with a combination of other metals for durability purposes. Just as gold has held the eye of men and women for thousands of years, so has silver.

Silver is a soft, white, shining metal and it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element; silver also conducts heat far more efficiently than any other metal which makes silver the gold standard for your cooking pan bottoms! Besides the fact, many of use could not afford the price, so it’s beneficial that copper allows for a less expensive alternative.

Silver occurs in natural form as an alloy or as a pure metal; it is commonly found in close proximity with gold and as electrum, a common alloy made of gold and silver along with several other common metals. Gold is rare however, and most silver is produced as a by-product from the extraction of other metals such as zinc, lead and copper.

Silver shares a common set of attraction factors with gold – it is appealing to the eye, it does not rust or discolor because it doesn’t react well with other elements and especially air and water. More than this, because it is soft and malleable, it has always found a place in jewelry making and its relative rarity has served to increase the value of the base metal and the silver decorative pieces made. Silver was also used to create the first coins in exactly the same way that gold was used – the value of the coin being equal to the value of the silver (or gold) which the coin contained, and from this the practice of hallmarking gold and silver jewelry and ingots.

Silver is widely used in industry and in many of the products we use in our daily lives. Silver is particularly useful in making electrical contacts because of its high conductivity. Many of the high-technology devices in your home, especially computers and modern televisions, have silver coated electrical contacts and rely on the excellent conductivity qualities of silver for their performance. Modern photography would not have been possible were it not for silver; silver compounds and solutions are used to “fix” the photographic image on paper. Silver nitrate is used as a disinfectant in medical situations for anti-microbial cleaning. That is probably why it was used to make silverware (eating utensils).  In industrial processes and the chemical industry, silver compounds play a crucial role as catalysts which render commercially viable manufacture of a very large range of chemical based products.

Like gold, silver has many uses far beyond simple adornment; man has treasured silver almost as much as gold through the ages, but the real value silver has rendered to our lives is much greater than many would otherwise believe.

I first thought of this when I was on my travels the other day, walking around I spotted a young girl wearing very expensive jewellery and I was just so shocked at how proud the mother looked of her.

Now silver necklaces is something you would expect to find on a woman not a very small little girl and thinking back on this incident it is funny to remember just how stupid the girl looked.

You really should wait until your child can say I really like this piece or I really do not like this, at the very least?

It can actually be a competition between mothers on who starts the trend. Basically one mother will walk into a toy shop and purchase a cheap looking plastic ring that might look a bit realistic and then when the girl is seen wearing it many women then think, I now have to go out and buy my daughter something that contains expensive silver gemstone jewellery. This then kicks off the competition and they are constantly buying new things for the child.

This doesnt seem to be a problem here in the UK, many rich states in the USA believe this is normal and it is really funny to see.

These people seem to take thier children with them to show them off by decorating them rather than taking the care to look after them properly. This is how you get spoilt brats like Paris Hilton.

Giving your child a sterling silver pendant is not normal and is about time that the celebrities and people that do this are told how to bring up children properly.

If you are thinking about giving your child a piece fo jewellery then there is nothing wrong with that, just dont go too far. As long as you do not take it too far you will be fine.

There are different types of precious metals that are used to make fine jewelry. Jewelry is made out of gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. Most people have a preference in what type of metal they prefer whether it be gold or white in color.

Gold has a long history and has been used for thousands of years for ornamental decorations and jewelry. 18K and 14K gold make up a majority of engagement rings. The capital letter K stands for karat and is how the amount of pure gold is measured in a ring. 18K gold consists of 75% gold and 25% other metals, such as copper and silver. 14K gold consists of 58% gold and 42% of other metals including copper and silver.

The reason gold is mixed with other alloys is because it is too soft for jewelry otherwise. 18K and 14K both make for stylish jewelry. While 18K gold will be more expensive, it is also more durable and valuable than 14K gold. 18K or 14K white gold might be what you are going for if you want gold with a silver look.

If your loved one prefers white jewelry you can choose between white gold, palladium, or platinum. Platinum is very expensive metal, but one of the most durable metals. Platinum is one of the rarest and most sought after of all the precious metals.

To give you an example of how rare it is; all of the platinum ever mined would fit in the average living room. The platinum jewelry process takes 10 tons of ore and five months to make just one ounce of platinum. Platinum is very strong and heavier than gold and will not wear away or wear down.

Palladium is an excellent choice when it comes to choosing a metal for a ring, because it has many of the same qualities as platinum but it is much cheaper. Palladium is a member of the platinum family and wasn't separated from it for a long time.

Palladium jewelry is continuing to become a popular choice for making fine jewelry. It's lightweight and has a white luster that is even brighter than platinum, believe it or not. Palladium is starting to be the new trend in jewelry and is quickly catching up to platinum. With the skyrocketing prices of Platinum choosing Palladium is a smart choice. It is lighter and is also a natural white metal at a much more affordable price.

If you are environmentally aware you should look for fine and reputable jewelry stores that use recycled metals in their jewelry. Jewelry made out of recycled metals are just as beautiful and have high quality, but not harmful to the environment. Our supplies and natural resources are depleted when we mine for precious metals. Using recyclable metal is a way to spare our environment and allows you to purchase a fine piece of jewelry at the same time.

Article from DanforthDiamond.com, a leading authority on loose diamonds, affordable engagement rings and fine jewelry. Danforth Diamond provides wisdom and advice to help you choose the right ring at the right price. Visit DanforthDiamond.com or call 877.404.RING

Who are the Miao?

Do you think it’s possible to wear 30 pounds of pure silver jewelry from head to foot? Well, the Miao are a nation who proudly show off the beauty with their handmade, elaborately designed silver ornaments in a way that almost covers their entire body! Being a minority group in the mountainous areas of south and southwestern China, the Miao think the glistening silver is a symbol of light that can bring hope and prosperous future. There are so many different kinds of Miao silver ornaments, here are just a few:

Silver headdresses

Miao silver headdresses are quite a sight and are worn only on very special occasions, like weddings or important holidays. They feature three different parts: the horns, the hood, and the hat.

Silver horns: The silver horns are the most important part of a Miao silver headdress, and they are crafted to mimic the horns of an ox. From one horn to another, the headpiece stretches nearly three feet and extends almost the same height. So they can be almost half the height of the wearer!

The designs of the horn are very elaborate. They usually feature a pattern of two dragons playing with a ball. Women place a pair of white feathers onto the horn to make it higher and more beautiful, or adorn the horn with some silver flowers and butterflies.

Silver hat: A silver hat is the base of the headdress and can be a foot tall. It’s completely covered with silver flowers, birds, animals, bells, and

tassels. Behind the hat hang twelve pieces of silver feathers that can hang all the way down to their waist.

Silver hood: The silver hood hangs down from the hat and covers parts of the face and neck. In some Miao areas, there are five glistening ornaments placed on the silver hood, with the biggest one in the middle falling from the forehead and the others dropping around ears.

While in other areas, a silver hood has three layers. The highest layer sports 29 sparkling, round silver flowers. The middle layer sports a bright, round glass at the center, and 14 warriors riding horses standing at each side. The lowest layer is made up with fringes.

Silver hairpins

Miao silver hairpins always feature flowers, birds, and butterflies. The most attractive patterns feature 10 silver flowers laid out just like a Chinese fan. In the flowers are some beautiful, glistening beads, and around the center are five silver phoenixes.

Some hairpins are just like chopsticks with silver bells or tassels adorned on them.

Silver combs

Miao women use a silver comb to decorate their hair. The comb is made of wood with a thin layer of silver slices covered on its surface. On the surface of a comb are designs of birds, flowers, or the image of a Bodhisattva. There are some combs which feature big and long silver chains dropping down.

Silver earrings

Fabulous Miao silver earrings can be in the shapes of flowers, birds, butterflies, dragons, or plants. Miao women like to wear 3 or 4 pieces of silver earrings at the same time. Weighing 200 grams, a single silver reaches directly to their shoulders. But many small earrings have very fine threads which are nearly invisible.

Silver neckbands

Wide silver neckbands are similar to necklaces in the West, but they are rigid and have many pendants hanging down from them. There are many kinds of neckbands popular in the Miao areas.  A dragon silver neckband features two dragons playing with a ball and has 11 different ornaments hanging from it. Another kind of neckband shows off 14 silver rings linked together, with silver birds or flowers dropping from each ring.

Silver bracelets

The Miao silver bracelets are engraved with the images of flowers, fish, or dragons. Some bracelets feature wide bands which is like the cuffs worn by warriors in ancient times. Miao women usually show off many silver bracelets at one time, sometimes more during festivals or holidays.

Silver rings

A Miao silver ring is usually quite small and has fine pieces of silver bent and shaped into flowers, birds, or plants. Some Miao women wear rings on all eight of their fingers, only leaving their thumbs free. Some rings can be half the length of their fingers.

Silver garments

Tiny silver slices or threads are commonly woven into the fabric of Miao clothing. There are more than 40 silver pieces in round or square shape that can be used.When put on a silver garment, the clothing sparkles beautifully with the Miao walking or dancing.

Each piece is engraved with amazing patterns such as phoenix, tigers, lions, butterflies, and flowers.

And sometimes there are about 60 silver bells hanging from the garments, which make sweet and beautiful sounds.

Silver waistbands

A silver waistband features hundreds of silver images of Bodhisattvas sewn on a piece of cloth. The Miao wear it around their waist, and the images shine beautifully when the Miao walk or dance.

Silver anklets

Last but not least are small but sturdy silver anklets that clasp above the foot. Miao children wear silver anklets to ward off evil spirits.